


Roadside Assistance

by insominia



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Attempted Kidnapping, Fluff and Smut, Hurt/Comfort, Love at First Sight, M/M, Mechanic Dean Winchester, Protective Dean Winchester, Single Parent Castiel (Supernatural), Single Parent Dean Winchester, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-10-22 07:06:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 20,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17658254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/insominia/pseuds/insominia
Summary: "Cas?" Dean said, again when Castiel didn't reply, "Cas, what's wrong?""You said to call you if I broke down-" and then, God forgive him he started crying. Castiel, a grown man, was crying in McDonald's.--Dean Winchester is probably the most decent human being Castiel has ever met, not to mention gorgeous. But, Castiel has more baggage than an airport terminal and Dean's only being kind because Castiel broke down in a snowstorm and nothing is going to happen. Probably nothing.





	1. Chapter 1

The air in the car was chilled to the point Castiel Novak felt his breath might freeze within him. He took several deep breaths, focusing on the inhale, trying not to notice the way the exhale misted in front of him. He wanted to tell himself that this would be fine, everything would be ok, but he couldn't pretend, this was decidedly not fine and things would not be ok. Despite that, he couldn't let himself panic, he'd never had a panic attack before but this, whatever this was rising in his gut, was definitely a panic attack. He gripped the cold, unresponsive steering wheel in his hands, as though to ground himself, closed his eyes and forced his breathing to even out, refusing to dissolve into fear.   
  
When he'd successfully fought off the wave of anxiety, he turned in the chair, looking into the backseat. Jack was asleep, there was that at least. The situation would be a hundred times more intolerable if he had to deal with a crying baby. As it happened, he'd woken up just after they'd broken down, taken a feed and went straight back to sleep as though he simply couldn't be bothered with the storm. Castiel reached over and touched Jack's cheek, he was warm, breathing softly, he was ok. Between the snowsuit, his clothes and the blanket Jack would be fine; if need be Castiel could start shedding layers to keep the boy warm. Castiel sighed, his eyes returning to the windshield; the snow was picking up. Help needed to get here soon, it should have been here already.   
  
He checked his phone for the sixth time since he had broken down and with another sigh, he dialled roadside assistance.   
  
"This is Castiel Novak, I'm waiting on a pickup but it's been a couple of hours and the snow's getting worse..."  
  
"Hold please," the bored woman on the end said, her fingers tapping, bringing up Castiel's details. She might have been the one Castiel had spoken too earlier, they all sounded the same. Tinny and bored.   
  
"Mr. Novak, as you have been told -" tinny, bored and impatient, "we have no one in that area so we passed your details onto a local contractor. He should be with you soon but we cannot accept any responsibility for third parties as outlined in your terms and conditions of your policy. "  
  
"Ok," Castiel said, "but it's been hours and I have a baby and -"  
  
"He should be with you soon, we passed your call on two hours and thirty-eight minutes ago," the woman said, cutting him off, "thank you for calling roadside assistance."  
  
She cut the call off and Castiel stared at a moment at the blank screen wondering whether he should cry or smash the phone through the windshield. But as he had the thought the sky darkened and Castiel tried to level his breath once more as the snow picked up again.   


* * *

  
When a car pulled up just in front of him, Castiel neither saw or heard it. The storm was raging pretty heavily, obscuring both sound and sight. Even with the light on in the car, Castiel couldn't see the end of the hood in front of him. The first indication he had that someone was outside was the heavy knocking at the window and Castiel jumped so far in his seat he bumped his head heavily on the roof.   
  
"Hey?" someone was shouting, trying to be heard over the howling wind, "you ok in there?"   
  
Relief flooded through Castiel, warming him through, and he cracked the door, his heart sinking when he saw that this was not roadside assistance, it was just some guy, some guy with a gorgeous '67 Chevrolet Impala that managed to catch Castiel's attention even in their dire circumstances.   
  
"We broke down," Castiel said, stupidly, but he was too cold to think, "we're waiting on breakdown..."  
  
"Sheriff's just closed the road," the stranger said, "I was the last through, breakdown won't be able to get to you."   
  
Castiel almost doubled over, gripping the side of the car for support, "what? But...what about us?" He looked in through the back window as if to confirm that Jack was still there; he was, and still blessedly sleeping.   
  
"You got a kid?" the stranger asked and when Castiel nodded he cursed, "shit. Alright, quick, grab what you need and jump in my car, at least the heater's working there," he added, seeing that Castiel was now shivering uncontrollably. Practically running to the trunk, Castiel grabbed Jack's overnight bag and then lifted the baby into his arms, slipping swiftly into the back seat of the stranger's car.   
  
It was like slipping into a warm bath. Not because the car was particularly warm, just because it had been so cold outside. Jack fidgeted in Castiel's arms, suddenly uncomfortable in his many layers, so Castiel lay aside the blanket, resting Jack in his arms. The man had slipped into the driver's seat and turned to face Castiel. "Afraid the car seat's in the van so you ok to hold onto him and I'll drive slow?"  
  
Castiel nodded, but it took the man a few minutes to actually move off, checking the road as much as he could and his eyes flickering to the rear view to see if the kid was alright. He drove slow, really slow, glancing back every time he could, just to check that the mere act of moving forward wasn't too much for the baby. It was quite sweet, Castiel thought, touched by the man's obvious concern.   
  
"My name's Dean, by the way," he called back, "Dean Winchester."  
  
"Castiel," Castiel offered, "and this is Jack."  
  
Castiel's blue eyes met Dean's in the mirror and despite the circumstances, Castiel found he was blushing and Dean was smiling.  
  
"Nice to meet you, Cas."  


* * *

  
They weren't on the road long. Easily less than half an hour and that was going as slow as they were, even though the snow had ceased now. Peering through the window, Castiel was surprised to make out the sign 'Singer's Auto Salvage' as they pulled up in front of a homestead.   
  
"Afraid I can't get you boys to a hotel, but you can ride out the storm with me," Winchester was saying from the front seat as he pulled the car into a garage. "I'll go get your car when it's safe, hopefully, get you back on the road soon enough."  
  
"Won't I need to see a mechanic?"  
  
"You're looking at one," the man grinned at him, turning off the engine, "if your roadside guys had called me you'd probably be home by now, but here we are. They must have passed you onto Roman...no way that guy'd brave the storm for you," he spat, but let it go quickly enough, pointing to a side door, "I'm gonna get the door so you can run straight in, want to keep that little angel as warm as possible."   
  
Castiel smiled, warmly, as Winchester jumped from the car and opened the side door, that presumably led to the house. He was too kind, Castiel thought. Kind and gorgeous. A flush crept into Castiel's cheeks as he averted his eyes from the man's emerald eyes before he got caught staring, and stepped into the house.  
  
"Dean!" a childish voice called and suddenly there was a toddler, rushing past Castiel, throwing himself around Winchester's leg.   
  
"Hey buddy, how's it going?" the man asked, hoisting the kid up onto his hip, "this is Jack," he said, gesturing to the baby. Castiel angled himself so the boy could look at the baby, he did so with a small 'wow' of amazement. Castiel found himself looking at the image of Dean Winchester, the green eyes were the same, the hair, the way he held himself, he even seemed to be dressed in a smaller version of the man's denim and flannel.   
  
"Hello," the boy said, happily, "I'm Adam," he said to Castiel.   
  
Castiel smiled back, slipping easily into 'suitable for small children' mode, "Hello Adam, my name is Castiel."  
  
Adam's face scrunched up, "Castel? Casteel?" he attempted before he just gave up and turned his attention back to the baby, "baby," he said, pointing.   
  
"Oh hey, you're back," a voice called from the hallway. Castiel looked up to see a red-headed woman leaning in the doorway. Adam's mother, Castiel reasoned, the mechanic's partner, and he found himself a little disappointed. Oh well, it had probably been useless anyway..."I'm gonna head out then, see if I can't get home before the storm starts up." Ok, maybe not his partner.   
  
Winchester looked panicked, "Charlie, you can't-"  
  
"Oh sure I can," she said, pulling on several layers, "it's only next door, Dean."  
  
"Seriously, just stay here, you can have my bed, I don't want you going out in this," Winchester was saying, putting down Adam and moving to plead with the woman.   
  
"Dean," she rolled her eyes, "it's fine. It's a ten-minute walk and besides, if I'm gonna get snowed in I'll do it in my own house, not here when you've got company."  
  
She winked at Castiel, who once again blushed, finding a spot on the floor suddenly very interesting. Thankfully, the man didn't notice.   
  
"Oh...right...Charlie this is Cas, Cas, Charlie. The guy broke down out there, they passed him onto Roman, can you believe that?"  
  
"Can I believe Roman left a guy stranded in the snow?" Charlie was saying, "yeah, he's kind of a Dick." They both smirked at a shared joke before Charlie said to Castiel, "lucky for you a mechanic with a heart found you, huh?"  
  
"Mr. Winchester has been very kind."  
  
"Dude," the man grimaced, "Dean, please."  
  
Castiel smiled, " _Dean_ has been very kind."   
  
"That's Dean," Charlie said, brightly, pulling on a snow hat, "nice to meet you Castiel, be good Adam, catch you later Dean."  
  
"Text me when you get home," Dean snapped as she moved towards the front door.   
  
Castiel heard the door open and an exasperated, "sure thing, _mom_ ," before the door closed behind her and Dean turned back into the room, shaking his head.   
  
"Will she be alright?" Castiel asked, concerned, even though the snow had paused in its onslaught, it still wasn't the best of nights to be outside on. But Dean didn't seem worried.  
  
"Sure, she only lives down the road, anyway, she'll probably be home before I get the cocoa going," he gestured to the lounge, "make yourselves at home."  


* * *

  
Sitting in the warmth of a cosy lounge, complete with an open fire, drinking hot cocoa, _actually_ hot cocoa complete with cream and marshmallows, Castiel couldn't quite believe that just an hour earlier he'd been fighting off panic attacks along with visions of him and Jack freezing to death on a roadside in Sioux Falls.   
  
But now, he was dressed in a fresh flannel shirt, courtesy of Dean's brother who wasn't around right now. 'I'd lend you some of his pants, but you'd need stilts to get into them,' Dean had laughed. He'd been showing Castiel the rest of the house. "You can have the guest room and I've got a travel crib around here somewhere, I'll get it set up for you," Dean had paused then, raising an eyebrow, "unless you co-sleep, in which case I've got a bed-guard in the loft."  
  
Castiel had been warmed more by Dean's effortless, thoughtful kindness and assured him that the crib would be fine. When Dean had shown him the guest room he'd winced, it was a little cluttered with bits of old furniture and stuff that simply hadn't had anywhere else to go. "It's fine," Castiel had said because honestly, it was. The bed was clean and there was space beside it for the travel crib, there really wasn't anything he needed, he thought as he dropped Jack's bag on the bed, freezing on the spot as it suddenly struck him that in the haste to get out of the car he hadn't actually brought anything for himself.  
  
Which was how Castiel came to be wearing an old t-shirt and flannel shirt, drinking hot cocoa, watching Jack attempt to roll around on a play mat while the boy, Adam, waved a rattle above him, pulling it out of Jack's hands with a flourish to make the baby laugh. Dean was in the kitchen cooking some soup, which from the sound of a knife hitting a chopping board, Castiel had deduced wasn't coming from a can. He'd offered to help but Dean was happy to carry on, telling him to sit down, and chill, excuse the bad pun...Castiel couldn't remember the last time he had felt so relaxed.   
  
"Look at my car," Adam demanded, tiring of Jack's lack of interaction and showing Castiel a toy car. To Castiel, it looked like any other generic toy car but Adam was holding it like it was the most precious thing in the world, so he affected a look of pure wonder, accordingly.  
  
"Wow, I bet it goes really fast," he said, sincerely.  
  
Adam was nodding, fervently, "it's the fastest car in the world and one day Dean's going to show me how to fix cars just like it!"   
  
From the kitchen, Dean stepped out, laying up the table, "you can go to college like your brother," he said, and Adam shook his head.  
  
"Noooo, I'm going to be a car fixer too."  
  
"Mechanic, buddy. It's mechanic," Dean said, gently and Castiel could feel nothing but an inexplicable warmth flood through him at the soft gaze Dean cast on the boy. "Come and get it," he called, placing a jug of water in the centre of the table. Adam leaped into his seat, Castiel picked Jack up off the floor and allowed him to rest against his shoulder with the practiced ease of a parent eating one-handed.   
  
Dean placed a steaming bowl of soup in front of Castiel but paused when it came to giving Adam the same. "Remember what we talked about?" he said to the boy, firm but not stern, "you use your spoon coz you're a big guy now and I'm not going to feed you, yeah?" Adam nodded eagerly so Dean put down the bowl, "ok then, careful it's hot."   
  
The soup smelled so good, Castiel had to remind himself it would be rude to start before Dean had even sat down. When the first mouthful passed his lips, he flushed beet red as a noise that could only be described as indecent left his mouth. From across the table, Dean was smirking so Castiel gave a mumbled, "it's good," as though his initial reaction hadn't already betrayed that to be the understatement of the year.   
  
Dean raised his spoon in a toast of acknowledgment and Castiel ate the rest in embarrassed silence. Occasionally, he allowed his eyes to steal over the table at his host, who, he was admittedly thrilled to note, was doing the same when he wasn't reminding Adam how to use a spoon. After the twentieth attempt, he rolled his eyes at Castiel, "kids, huh?"  
  
"I've got all this to look forward to," he said, gesturing to the baby curled up in his arm. Jack was reaching for Castiel's spoon, "in a minute, baby, let it cool first, ok?" he soothed, which had zero effect on calming the kid.   
  
"How old is he?" Dean asked.  
  
"Almost seven months, he's a little small for his age though," Castiel swallowed, as though it were the biggest deal in the world, though Dean was nonplussed.   
  
"Adam was always small too, weren't you kiddo? Even now he's so skinny you'd swear I don't feed him. Sam was the same," added Dean, almost wistfully.   
  
Castiel looked between the boy and Dean, "Sam is his brother?"  
  
"Our brother," Dean corrected, patiently, which explained why Adam hadn't addressed Dean once by anything other than his name, "I'm the eldest, then there's Sam, he's in Stanford right now training to be a hotshot lawyer and now we've got Adam, who, they tell me coz I can't believe it, is going to be five next month." Adam grinned, dribbling soup down his chin, Dean slipped him a napkin without thinking. Castiel was on the verge of asking about parents when Dean caught his eye and shook his head, knowing no doubt that the question was coming. "We got each other, ain't we, kid? That's all that matters. I saw Sam to college and God knows I'll see you there too," Dean said, with such a ferocity that Castiel felt his stomach clench. But then Dean looked back at him and naturally segued into asking about him and Jack which was not where Castiel wanted the conversation to go, but he was at a bit of a loss at how to stop it. "So where are you guys travelling to?"  
  
That was fairly inoffensive at least. "Just home, back to Lawrence," Castiel replied, pausing when he saw that Dean had almost dropped his spoon, his eyes wide and round.  
  
"Lawrence, Kansas?" Castiel nodded, "huh, that's where I'm from," he grinned. "Lived in Lawrence but spent most of my time here with Uncle Bobby, Dad wasn't around much," he added, his eyes flickering over to Adam, briefly, "haven't been back there in a while, though. Where are you coming back from?"  
  
"We uh...we've been up to see Jack's grandparents, they live up in North Dakota."  
  
"Long drive," Dean supplied.   
  
Castiel nodded, "yeah well..." he broke off, "it's easier than flying with a baby," he mumbled, hoping that he'd get away with it, that Dean wouldn't ask too many questions.   
  
Apparently, he had as Dean just nodded, "I hear you." There was a beat of silence, "his mom must be worried about you in this storm though."  
  
There it was. It was inevitable really, Castiel was surprised they had gotten this far without it coming up. He didn't say anything in response and even Adam slurping soup loudly from beside them couldn't disrupt the sudden chill that rested on the table. Dean picked up that he'd apparently said the wrong thing and he shifted, almost uncomfortably in his seat, "he's a cute kid," he said, changing the subject, "looks a lot like you."  
  
Castiel visibly flinched, he wanted the ground to swallow him up, "so I've been told," it wasn't Dean's fault, he was just being nice, but it was still too much, "thanks for the soup," he said, rising, abruptly, deliberately ignoring the surprise in Dean's face, "I'm going to go put Jack down. Goodnight Adam, Mr. Winchester," and with half a bowl of soup still before him, Castiel was gone.  



	2. Chapter 2

Castiel fled the dining room, hurrying up the stairs, aware that he had been rude, but unable to see what he could do about it. This always happened he reasoned, almost seven months and he still didn't know how to deal with it, still didn't know what to say. And Dean had been so kind and welcoming, he hadn't deserved Castiel's strained awkwardness, he certainly hadn't deserved Castiel just running off like that, but Castiel could only sigh, running his hands through his hair, what else could he do?  
  
He'd put Jack down for the night, or at least for the next six hours of it if he were lucky, but then Castiel found himself at a bit of a loss. He could go downstairs, he knew, but that would require an apology and an apology would require an explanation and right now he was happy hiding from it all. As though he ever could, really. It would always be there. There was no escaping it.

His laptop was here, having been stowed in Jack's bag just because it was big enough to carry it, he could always catch up on some work. But as soon as he sat down to start typing he found his mind wandering, without his permission, to Dean downstairs and how badly Castiel had behaved towards him. In the end, having accomplished nothing, he shut the laptop with an aggressive snap and tossed it aside, choosing to stare at the ceiling instead, wondering why his stomach was tying itself up in knots over a man he'd just met.   
  
Ok, an attractive man he'd just met. Who was kind. And thoughtful. And made an amazing soup. And had treated Castiel better in the last few hours than he could remember being treated in his life. Who now probably thought Castiel was a rude weirdo and was regretting showing him such hospitality.   
  
From down the hallway, Castiel could hear Dean putting Adam to bed. He flushed when he heard Dean shush the boy, reminding him quietly that their guests were trying to sleep and they didn't want to wake the baby up. Castiel couldn't remember the last time he'd been so embarrassed, he could always open the door now, pop his head out and apologise. But he wouldn't, he wasn't anywhere near brave enough for that. So he lay on the bed, listening to the sounds of the bedtime routine and eventually he heard a whispered, "good night, buddy."  
  
The floorboards creaked as Dean crossed the hallway and Castiel stared at the doorway as he heard the footsteps come to a halt outside it. He could see Dean's shadow under the door, he could practically hear Dean thinking about whether to knock, to ask if Castiel was alright. Castiel held his breath, he really wanted Dean to knock the door. But he didn't. Another creak indicated that Dean had shifted his weight and then the shadow moved away; it didn't come back again that evening.   


* * *

  
Jack woke Castiel several times in the night, he wasn't particularly surprised. It was an unfamiliar place, however comfortable the travel crib looked and he'd slept most of the day in the car. Thankfully, Jack was easy enough to get back to sleep. Change him, feed him, burp him, rock him and as long as those steps were followed in that order he'd be back in his bed within half an hour. Castiel could do it on autopilot, he _had_ to do it on autopilot, he couldn't remember the last time he'd had a break.   
  
' _Why not leave him here with us for a while, take some time for yourself?'_  
  
Nope. Not entertaining those thoughts this early in the morning. Through the window Castiel could see the very first sign of the sky lightening and despite the ungodly hour figured he may as well give up on sleep and he threw on Dean's brother's flannel over his boxers and headed down the stairs, he'd hear Jack if he woke up, which he probably wouldn't do for another couple of hours.  
  
Downstairs all was still and quiet. It felt a bit weird, at first, to be standing in someone else's house at this hour. Through the window, Castiel could see the sky starting to take on a brighter shine as the sun failed to pierce the heavy clouds. It had stopped snowing at least, though from the carpet of white that met Castiel's eyes wherever he looked it was clear that the snow had only recently abated, falling heavily during the night. On some level, he surprised himself with how easily he accepted the obvious fact that he would have to stay here another day. The idea held no horror for him, even though he didn't know Dean, was notoriously socially awkward and his car had been left on a roadside in an unfamiliar town.

A cursory glance in the kitchen told Castiel that it was well stocked for the duration of the storm, but ultimately he had just been looking for something for breakfast. Bacon and eggs, it wouldn't be anywhere near as good as the soup Dean had prepared the night before, but it should serve as a decent 'thank you' at least. It was still too early yet though, nobody with any sense would be awake any time soon, so Castiel settled himself in a chair by the window and allowed himself to just gaze out into the snow, marvelling that he should feel as though he was home in a stranger's house.   


* * *

  
From the insistent thudding coming from upstairs, it sounded like Adam had run into Dean's room to get him up, but Castiel wasn't sure how much time had passed. He hadn't slept, but it had been a long, long time since he had just sat, quietly. Even though he'd had a relatively rough night, he couldn't remember the last time he felt so rested. At the first sound from upstairs, Castiel rose easily and started cooking breakfast for everyone. He'd managed to mix up the eggs and had started on the bacon when Adam came bounding into the kitchen with as much relentless energy as he had the night before.   
  
"Good morning, Adam," Castiel said, kindly.  
  
"Hungry," came the fairly standard response.   
  
Castiel chuckled, "breakfast won't be long."  
  
"Smells good," said Dean's voice from the doorway and Castiel looked up, just about managing to stifle the gasp that rose within him. Dean was an attractive man, Castiel didn't need to be gay to appreciate that, it was an objective fact, but morning Dean, sleep-rumpled, mussed hair, faded shirt, and sweatpants Dean was possibly the most beautiful thing Castiel had ever seen in all his time on God's green earth. The effect was made all the more gut-wrenchingly gorgeous by the fact that Dean had picked Jack up on his way down and the sight of him, with a baby, with _Castiel's baby_ , on his hip was enough to make Castiel want to push him against the doorframe and kiss him as though his life depended on it. With Dean looking as amazing as he did, it might well do.   
  
Forcing his attention to the rather uninteresting task of scrambling eggs so he wouldn't be caught staring at the Adonis before him, Castiel kept his eyes down and muttered something about it being the least he could do. Dean rocked Jack on his hip, using a finger to boop his nose playfully, "this little guy woke up when Adam did, sorry about that, so I thought I'd bring him down to see daddy."   
  
Castiel winced and Dean noticed. A glimmer of a frown came over him before he mercifully chose not to pursue it and Castiel busied himself flipping bacon. "Thank you," he said, quietly, "if you're ok with him, I can finish breakfast."  
  
"Sure thing," Dean smiled, turning to Jack he said with exaggerated flair, "now that I've got you I'm never going to put you down. You're mine now, kid." He started talking gibberish, much to the delight of the child in his arms. He pretended it was for the child's benefit, but if he were honest he was glad of the distraction, it was either that or stare, practically drooling at the man with amazingly blue eyes and bedhead so sexy it should be illegal who was right now looking over at him with such intense gratitude, while making him bacon. It was more than Dean could bear, not to mention that voice, that sounded as smooth as honey and whiskey the night before, now sounding rougher in the morning light, well- it was best to concentrate on the kid before Dean embarrassed himself.   
  
"So the storm didn't ease up," he sighed, as Castiel started plating their breakfast up. Dean moved to lay the baby on the old play mat, at least that way Cas might be able to get some hot food in him without having to juggle the kid. "If it doesn't start up again and sheriff opens the road then I can go get your car, but either way it looks like you're stuck here another day, sorry." He tried to sound sorry, but he wasn't. Not really. He was looking forward to getting to know the guy a little better and from the shy glances, he occasionally found himself on the receiving end of, Dean was pretty sure Cas was too.   
  
Adam had found his way in front of the television and with the skill only a small child could muster turned it on and managed to find something horrendously colourful and noisy within moments. He sat down in front of it with his smaller plate of breakfast. Normally Dean would have called him back, but he was happy for the excuse to have an adult conversation for a change. Or as close as Dean ever managed to such a thing.   
  
For a moment there was just a pleasant domestic silence over them all. Jack rolling himself over and getting distracted by the colours on the mat, Adam was lost in whatever song it was that they were singing on the tv, while Dean and Cas ate their breakfast.

It was nice.   
  
"I'm sorry about last night," Cas murmured, so quietly Dean was unsure that he'd actually said anything, "you've been very kind and I was rude to run off the way I did."   
  
Dean shrugged, shovelling more egg into his mouth, "it's ok. Long day." In truth, he'd been a little bit hurt by the way Cas had just disappeared on him, but he more than made up for it with bacon. "Besides," Dean said, gesturing to the plate, "this is great."   
  
Cas flushed adorably and turned his attention back to the plate. "You know," Dean said, trying to change the conversation so they didn't have to dwell on whatever it was that had happened the night before. "We don't get much signal out here, sometimes, so if you need to call someone, anyone, there's a landline in the kitchen. Just, in case you want to pass the number on to your partner if she can't get hold of you."   
  
A forkful of egg had been on its way to Cas' mouth when Dean had spoken, and now it just hung there, suspended, forgotten, as Cas stared at Dean as though he had begun speaking in tongues. "My...partner?"  
  
"Jack's mom? It must be weird for her right to have you guys trapped out here, I just thought it might help her not worry if she had a backup if your phone cut out or something..."  
  
Castiel could only stare at Dean, his breakfast forgotten, a familiar churning in his stomach. Dean had apparently realised that he'd said something wrong, though he had no idea what it had been. How could he? Castiel sighed, heavily and placed his cutlery down, it was never a fun conversation to have, but it was going to have to happen. Either that or he'd have to whisk Jack upstairs and risk being rude for the second time in as many days. He took a deep breath and cut across Dean who had started talking about the storm, generally, something inoffensive, unsure what it was that he could have said to have so obviously and visibly upset Castiel.   
  
"Jack's mother is dead," he said, without preamble. Dean almost choked on his bacon so Castiel figured he may as well continue, "and I'm not his father."  



	3. Chapter 3

There was a long silence, broken only by Jack's babbling and the generic noise of the television. But at the table, around Dean and Castiel, it felt like the noise was distant, as though it were coming from far away and not the same room.   
  
"Jesus, Cas," Dean breathed, "I'm so sorry. I never should have- I never meant to-"  
  
Castiel smiled weakly, "it's ok, Dean. You didn't know and you've been very kind. There's no point me dancing around it any longer. You were just being thoughtful." He sighed, "I'm Jack's Uncle..." the word uncle didn't seem to fit, it never did, "my brother, Lucifer, he fathered Jack."  
  
"Lucifer?" Dean said before he could stop himself, "you mean like the devil."  
  
"You know him?" Castiel said, dryly and despite the dark atmosphere that was threatening them, they both chuckled.   
  
Breakfast lay forgotten, Castiel leaned back in the chair, unable to look Dean in the eye. "It was a hard time for all of us. Kelly, Jack's mother, when she realised what Lucifer was like, she didn't want anything to do with him. It was a difficult pregnancy for her and I wasn't as supportive as I could have been, not at the start. We knew she wouldn't survive labour, but she wanted the baby so badly. She made videos for him throughout the pregnancy, but it was hard. On top of everything we were going to court, she didn't want Lucifer to come anywhere near Jack when he was born, in the end, we got there on the grounds of his cruelty..." he broke off at Dean's sharp intake of breath and when he looked over Dean was sitting in a stunned silence. "Anyway, Jack was born and Kelly...she didn't make it. I'd rented a house by a lake, it was peaceful... Legally Jack is mine, no one can touch him but-" Castiel dropped his face into his hands, "I don't know what I'm doing. Lucifer's putting pressure on me to give him up, Kelly's parents want him to go to them, none of them think-"

' _He should be with family, Castiel.'_

' _You haven't even got a proper job.'_

' _Wouldn't he be better here with a garden, the schools around here are excellent_.'

' _That place of yours is hardly suitable for a growing child_.'

' _You did a lot for Kelly, but we are Jack's grandparents, he'd be better off with us.'_

Castiel couldn't continue, taking some ragged breaths to calm himself. "Maybe they're right," he muttered.

"Hey," Dean was kneeling at his side, a supportive hand on Castiel's back, "you're doing great."   
  
Embarrassment flooded through Castiel, "I'm sorry," he wiped his face on his hands, "sorry, you don't need me pouring out all my baggage on you, forget it."  
  
"No, man, it's fine," the hand on Castiel's back was rubbing out soothing circles, as though he were a child needing comforting.   
  
When Castiel spoke his voice was small and far away, "I don't even know what he should call me. I was gonna be his dad but since then, between Lucifer and Kelly's parents, now I'm not so sure."   
  
"Hey," Dean said, his tone serious enough to interrupt Castiel's grief-fuelled haze, "you are his dad in every way that counts, you were there when he was born, you looked after his mum, and you've been looking after him ever since. If that's not a dad what is?"  
  
Castiel smiled, "you're a mechanic, a chef and a counsellor, is there anything you can't do?"   
  
"Plenty," Dean patted his back, "come on, I was gonna let Adam have a run around in the snow. Looks like you could probably do with one too."  


* * *

Evening found them all, Dean, Castiel, Adam, and Jack, wrapped in warmed blankets, drying off from a day of play in the snow. At moments like this, Dean was so very glad that of all the work he'd put into Bobby's house he'd kept an open fire. He watched Cas, alternating between rubbing warmth into the kids and tickling them, surprised at how comfortable all this felt given that they'd only met twenty-four hours earlier.   
  
Between them they'd built an impressive snowman, Cas had rooted around in a closet and dressed it in a tie and trench coat rather than a hat and scarf, but it seemed to work. They'd made snow angels and a snow throne for Jack so he could sit and marvel at the cold if he'd been capable of feeling anything given how thick his snowsuit was. Adam and Dean had had a snowball fight, which was not nearly as one-sided as Cas had expected it to be, with Adam holding his own with worrying accuracy. Cas had sat off to the side, Jack on his lap, helping him crush snow in his fingers and pretending to eat them.   
It had warmed Dean to see it. Every time he had looked over Cas was engrossed in the baby, teasing him and laughing with him; the worry that had etched his face earlier that very morning had melted away with the worst of the snow and he seemed years younger for it. And when Cas threw his head back and laughed as he ducked a snowball Adam had aimed directly for his head, Dean felt his breath catch in his chest, wondering if he had ever seen anyone or anything so beautiful.   
  
They'd paused for lunch before heading out again, this time to walk around, making footprints and patterns. Dean and Cas had followed Adam, Cas occasionally putting Jack down so he could practice standing on his own feet, it didn't last long, but the kid seemed to appreciate it, babbling happily and reaching for the snow. Dean had talked about his other brother, Sam, studying law at Stanford with unabashed pride and Cas had listened - _really listened_ , not just to what Dean was saying but how he was saying it.   
  
"It must have been something to see your sacrifices pay off when he went to Stanford," Cas had said and for a moment Dean had just looked at him, surprised and a little touched that for once someone had gotten it. Not just the pride he had in Sam, but knowing all those skipped meals, all those dimes squirreled away had been worth it. How had he gotten so far without knowing this guy?   
  
While Cas dried and dressed the kids, Dean rustled up some more cocoa, and a bottle for Jack. When he handed the mugs out his fingers brushed against Cas' and he felt a flush burn into his cheeks as he pulled away, noticing with some satisfaction that Cas' cheeks were pink too. Cas sipped his cocoa and for the second time in as many days he let out an indecent groan, "oh wow, is that hazelnut?"  
  
Dean grinned, "yeah, but buddy you gotta stop making those noises, you'll make a man blush," he added a playful wink to hammer home the point, why the hell not. Cas' lip curled into the most mischevious grin Dean thought he had ever seen on another human being, as he lifted the cocoa to his lips and with agonising slowness took an exaggerated sip and let out a quiet, but no less shameless moan. A quiet understanding passed between the two and neither of them minded that the storm might well trap Cas there for another day.   



	4. Chapter 4

They had no such luck, the storm had practically blown off by the following morning. The snow remained, but without the screaming winds and the sleet, it was all far less threatening. Dean was leaning against the window, momentarily distracted by the way in which the sun, so much brighter after the storm, sparkled on the surface of the snow.   
  
Behind him Cas was sitting with Adam, letting the boy feed Jack bits of his toast. Not that it did much good, Jack sort of gummed at the bread before smearing it across his face. But Adam found it entertaining enough. Cas caught Dean's eye and they shared a small smile before Cas realised that actually Dean was on the cusp of saying something but didn't seem to be able to get it out.   
  
"What is it?" he asked.   
  
Dean looked between the three of them at the table, "I was just...I was going to fetch your car, but...I dunno man would you mind watching Adam?"  
  
Cas shrugged, "sure thing."   
  
"I shouldn't be long, I'll just get it up on the truck and bring it back."  
  
Cas was smiling, as though it didn't matter one way or another how long he'd be, "take as long as you need, we'll be ok, won't we buddy?"   
  
"I'm going to feed Jack, everything!" Adam exclaimed and Cas laughed, which in turn made Dean smile. God he needed to get a grip on himself, he was acting like a kid with a crush. He pulled on a couple of extra layers before grabbing the keys for the breakdown truck and heading out, his footsteps making satisfyingly crisp crunches as the frozen snow broke underfoot.   
  
Even though there was quite a bit of it, the snow didn't pose much of a threat to the truck. It took Dean less than an hour to navigate his way back to Cas' car, hoist it onto the truck and head back, and most of that was spent digging out the back wheels. He thought about popping the hood there and then so he could take a look, but the air was still bitter so he figured he'd save that for when he could get the car into the garage. Though he'd have to scrape off all the snow that rested heavily atop it first.   
  
With Cas' car settled beside Baby in the garage, Dean kicked off the snow on his boots, peeling the layers from him, only mildly surprised that Adam hadn't ploughed through the door to greet him. He cracked the door that led to the kitchen and stepped in, his attention immediately drawn to the sofa where Adam was watching something on the television, Jack sound asleep beside him.   
  
Where was Cas?   
  
Panic gripped Dean, but it lasted barely a second as an unfamiliar voice drew his attention back into the kitchen.   
  
' _How do you think this is going to play out_?'  
  
Cas was sitting at the table, his back to Dean, his phone propped up with an image of some blonde guy in a suit talking to him. Every now and then Cas glanced over to the doorway, making sure Adam and Jack were alright and with a heavy exhale, Dean felt the panic leave him. His attention turning instead to the call in front of him.   
  
' _I mean seriously Castiel, you? A father? Come on!'_  
  
The voice was smooth, promising, like velvet, Dean had never seen or met Cas' brother, but two things were immediately clear - this was definitely him and Dean didn't like him.   
  
' _Think about it, it goes to court, who are they gonna choose. I mean ok you and Kelly did a good job on the paperwork I'll give you that. But really, if it came down to it? Me, the guy with the job and a penthouse and y'know basically more money than God, not to mention oh that's right, I'm his father. Or you, a deadbeat Uncle renting a one bed flat, working as a 'writer',"_ the guy even did the air quotes _, "so consistent. Besides no one's gone near you in like forever, so you gonna do this on your own with your crappy job in your crappy apartment with your crappy life-"_  
  
He'd heard enough so Dean strode on in, "Hey babe," he called, coming to stand beside Cas, leaning down and claiming his lips in a kiss that surprised them both, "how're all my boys doing?" Dean rasped, wanting to put his fist through Cas' phone and Lucifer's face for the hurt he'd put in those beautiful blue eyes. Pulling back he affected to see the phone for the first time and feigned surprise, "oh sorry, babe, didn't realise you had company." He stared daggers into the eyes of the other man, his lip curling in distaste, yup, he definitely didn't like him. "Who's this asshole?"   
  
"Dean, this is my brother..."  
  
But Lucifer was already laughing. Dean could see him taking in the grease smeared flannel, the way Dean's hand held Cas' shoulder protectively, how Cas, despite himself, leaned into Dean's touch and he could only laugh, " _Oh wow, Cassie even for you this is scraping the barrel."_  
  
Cas looked up at Dean, quickly, his eyes wide with apology, but Dean's eyes never left Lucifer's and he gave him his most winning smile before, as slow as he could deliberately manage, he disconnected the call.   
  
The phone screen went black and Dean knelt beside Cas, his eyes filled with concern, "you ok?"  
  
“You didn’t need to do that,” Cas said, unable to meet Dean’s eye.   
  
Glancing back over his shoulder, Dean saw that Adam was still engrossed with whatever it was he was watching and Jack hadn't moved, snoring softly beside the other boy.   
  
"Why d'you let him talk to you like that, man?" Dean asked, but Cas just gave an awkward shrug. "Hey, he's talking crap, you know that, right?"  
  
Cas turned his face away, his cheeks flushing, "he's not wrong though. I enjoy writing and I'm lucky I've got a regular column but if it dries up I've got nothing and the apartment isn't much and-"  
  
"And nothing" Dean snapped, surprising them both with the strength of his anger. Cas looked up at him in surprise and Dean hated it, hated that some smarmy guy on the other end of a phone could say these things and worse, that Cas would believe them. "You know how many guys would step up for their brother's kid the way you did? Not damn many."   
  
Cas turned a dark shade of red, his eyes turned to the carpet, "it's fine." If possible, he turned even redder when Dean reached over and took his hand, holding it, tightly.  
  
"So help me, I won't let him talk to you like that."   
  
Cas was looking at him now, the flush in his cheeks fading as he regarded Dean, his head cocked as though he had been presented with a small puzzle, but there was a smile too, a warmth there and he squeezed Dean's hand back, "Thank you, Dean," he said, knowingly, too knowingly and now it was Dean's turn to flush.  
  
"Don't listen to that asshole, y'hear?" Dean mumbled, and then before he really thought about what he was doing he leaned in and kissed Cas again. This time, Cas wasn't taken by surprise and he kissed him back, fulfilling the unspoken promise between them; they had both known this was going to happen.   
  
"Ewww!" Adam called from somewhere behind them, "stop kissing, you're yucky!"  
  
Dean and Cas broke apart, chuckling between them, but Dean didn't relinquish Cas' hand and Cas was in no hurry to take it back.  


* * *

Dean fixed up Castiel's car with embarrassing ease. He'd barely got it down off the truck before he'd popped the hood and given an affirmative exclamation as to what the problem was. It took him less than an hour to fix, even with Adam beside him, though Castiel had to admit it was the most adorable thing he'd ever seen to see Dean call out the name of tools and Adam fetching them for him, even though he could barely carry them. Dean had explained what had happened, but admittedly his words had washed right over Castiel who was nonetheless impressed and a little embarrassed that Adam seemed to understand more than he did.   
  
When Dean came back into the house, he leaned against the door, wiping his hands on a rag. Castiel had been sitting with Jack nestled beside him, teasing him with a rattle, but in that instant, he couldn't tear his eyes away from the other man. Dean's shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, the faded t-shirt underneath it was a size too small and displayed every inch of Dean's physique, even the smears of oil and grime across his face did nothing to detract from the image. Dean noticed him looking instantly. If anything it just encouraged him. He wiped his brow, slowly, maintaining eye contact with Castiel, throwing the rag aside casually, not even checking to see if it landed where he'd intended; he knew it had.   
  
There was no way Castiel could breathe, not when Dean was walking towards him so deliberately casually, looking as inviting as he did. Beside him, Jack was starting to protest at the shift in Castiel's attention, but he couldn't bring himself to look away. Dean was standing over him, smiling down at him. _Oh that smile_ , he knew what he was doing.   
  
"Bad news, Cas," he whispered, leaning forward so close Castiel could feel his breath on his face, "I fixed your car. You can leave whenever you want."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
He didn't want to leave. In fact right now, with Dean so close, he didn't want to so much as move in case it broke the spell.   
  
"Of course, it's past midday now, and you know the roads are still a little icy out there..." Dean licked his lips and Castiel thought he might just explode, "so you could always stay another night."  
  
Castiel nodded, dumbly, "sounds good."   
  
Then Dean stood back and the tension between them evaporated as he laughed, "great."  
  
"You ass," Castiel snorted, turning his attention back to the baby, trying to collect his thoughts. Dean was still laughing as he stepped to the hallway.   
  
"I'm going in the shower, don't get any ideas, yet," he added, with a wink.

This time Castiel rolled his eyes, "I'll try and restrain myself. For now," he added and for a moment neither he or Dean could look away.   


* * *

He thought he'd be nervous. After all, between them, they'd made their intentions clear and this was still Dean's house, so by all rights Castiel should be buzzing with anticipation, waiting for the kids to go to bed so they could make a move. But actually, it all felt very normal, very natural. They went back out in the snow, to enjoy it before it disappeared until the next storm, and they watched Adam run around in it, trying to build a second snowman so his first would have a friend.   
  
Dean touched Castiel openly and easily. There was nothing sexual about it, just gentle touches to the small of his back, or his shoulder when they were talking, and then eventually, he just took Castiel's hand and they followed Adam with their fingers interlocked; Jack strapped to Castiel's chest in his baby carrier.   
  
"Do you have to go?" Adam asked, over dinner. "I like Jack."   
  
"Sorry, buddy, Castiel's got to get back to real life, but I'm sure we'll see them soon," Dean said, kindly as Adam pouted, trying to feed Jack mashed potato with far greater success than he'd had with toast.   
After they'd finished dinner, Dean took Adam up to start the bedtime routine. When he returned, he found Castiel in the kitchen, up to his elbows in dishes. With a soft smile, Dean wrapped his arms around his stomach and rested his head on Castiel's shoulder.   
  
With a sigh, he murmured, "is it crazy that Adam's right and I kind of want you to stay?"  
  
Castiel leaned into Dean's frame, "is it crazy that I kind of don't want to leave?'  


* * *

Dean might have intimated a night of passion and excess ahead of them, but the reality was far more domestic. Castiel put Jack down a little bit after Adam, knowing that he was going to wake up at least twice more through the night. When he returned, Dean had flicked the TV on and was sprawled on the sofa, gesturing for Castiel to join him. At some point, he'd acquired a bowl of popcorn for them to share, and Castiel settled neatly beside him, lying down next to him, appreciating Dean's warmth as he brought an arm around him.   
  
"What kind of thing do you like?" Dean asked, skipping through the available Netflix options. "I'm usually a Dr. Sexy M.D guy myself, but I can cope with something else for a night."  
  
"What's Dr. Sexy M.D?"   
  
Dean stopped scrolling and turned to Castiel, unable to hide the shock in his face, "Oh Cas man, you are gonna regret saying that."   
  
By the time Jack had woken for his first feed of the night, almost four hours later, Castiel was a veritable Dr. Sexy convert. He lay beside Dean, surprisingly comfortable given that they were basically spooning on a sofa, and Dean moved to pause the screen every few minutes to provide him background and behind the scenes information. Castiel didn't mind, and Dean seemed to love it when Castiel had a question, giving him an excuse to go off on one about the hidden meanings in scenes. As Castiel lay there, his thumb making lazy circles on the back of Dean's hand, listening to his every word of his half baked fan theories, Dean wondered whether it was possible to have fallen so hard in love so fast.   
  
It was late when Jack's cries drifted downstairs, late enough that they figured they might as well go to bed anyway rather than start a new episode. While Castiel fed him, Dean checked on Adam, chuckling to himself to find the boy horizontal across his bed with his blankets shucked onto the floor. Dean stayed a moment, running his hands through Adam's hair, fondly, remembering when he had used to tuck in his other brother. When he could pull himself away, he wandered down the hallway and found Castiel just putting Jack down, having successfully rocked him to sleep. They looked at each other for a moment.   
  
"So...I guess this is good night?" Dean whispered.   
  
Castiel stepped closer to him, "actually..." he murmured, glancing back over his shoulder, "I was afraid I might disturb him if I came to bed...is there anywhere else I could sleep tonight?" he asked, and Dean swore he could see a halo around Castiel's head, his eyes were fluttering with such innocence.   
  
"I'm sure we'll think of something."   


* * *

They didn't fall into bed with each other. There was no heated embrace, no fumbling their way through the darkness, instead it was just _nice_. Dean brushed his teeth, Castiel brushed his. Castiel grabbed a glass of water in case he needed one in the night. They stripped down to their underwear and Dean was already in bed when Castiel checked the door was cracked enough that he could hear Jack when the baby inevitably woke for his next feed.   
  
Climbing in next to him, they still didn't lose themselves in each other. Dean held his arm out and Castiel curled into him, laying his head on his chest. At some point, they graduated from soft touches to kisses, kisses as tender as a promise rather than desperate and passionate, though they certainly didn't remain chaste.   
  
They rolled across each other, their lips exploring each other's chest, back, arms, neck, everywhere they could reach without breaking apart. Even the hint of space between them was too much. They were both hard, grinding against each other, but going no further than that. The fact that they were taking it slow was even more enticing than had they just fallen into each other with abandon. Every kiss was a promise, every touch a lingering declaration that this was just the start, next time maybe they'd go further, or even the time after that. Neither of them had said, neither of them had needed to say that there would be a next time.   
  
When Jack woke again, Castiel was kneeling between Dean's thighs, his hands clinging to his hips as he kissed and licked his way across Dean's chest, Dean's fingers trailing through his hair. He didn't want to get up, he didn't want to leave Dean like this. He waited for a breath too long and Jack started screaming, irritated at having to wait. Castiel sighed and rose, but even as he did so Dean leaned forward and kissed him. He wanted to get Jack down in record time, but he knew if he did there would be the likelihood of wind and that would just require his attention for the rest of the night. So he took his time, assuring Jack that he was the most important thing in the world, as though his mind wasn't with Dean in the next room, finishing what they had started.   
  
By the time Castiel climbed back into bed, the mood had been well and truly buried and Dean was struggling to keep his eyes open. Secretly, Castiel thought it was sweet that he'd tried to stay awake for him at all and he nestled down beside him again, Dean wrapped an arm around him, holding him close, and they kissed what skin they could reach until sleep inevitably took them.   


* * *

Morning found them subdued. Dean and Castiel had woken together, surprisingly awake before either of the children, still wrapped around each other. Dean traced patterns onto Castiel's chest, internally debating how ridiculous it would be to ask him to stay. He knew he wasn't going to. Cas had said he didn't want to leave but that was just sentiment, right? Practically, Cas had a life to get back to, he wasn't going to just give it all up to move in with a mechanic he hadn't known for a week. But still, the thought that Cas was leaving that morning left an uncomfortable pit in Dean's stomach, made worse when he caught Cas' eye and saw the same misery reflected in bright blue.   
  
They didn't speak much, thank God for Adam chattering mindlessly and Jack, who had positively warmed to the boy, babbling back incoherently, or the atmosphere would have stifled them. While Dean cooked breakfast, Castiel got together what little stuff he had spread across Dean's house, moving slowly, as though by delaying this he could delay the inevitable.   
  
He left just after breakfast. Dean had even filled the car up from his own stock so Castiel wouldn't need to stop anywhere soon, refusing to accept any money for it, or for the repairs.   
  
"I won't take your money, but I will take your number. Besides, you'll need mine if you break down again," he winked, and they exchanged details and then some just in case their phones somehow died, or their email addresses crashed, hell, they would send carrier pigeons if need be. "So hey," Dean said, suddenly, as they exchanged their phones, "Charlie's watching Adam for me this weekend, I was thinking maybe I could come visit you instead? See your place?"  
  
Castiel breathed a sigh of relief, "yes. Yes, I'd like that."   
  
"Awesome."   



	5. Chapter 5

Neither of them wanted to part. Afterward, Castiel couldn't remember how they'd done it. They had held each other so tightly, neither of them had wanted to think too hard about what that meant. There had been a final kiss, then another, then another before finally Castiel was back on the road, Jack oblivious in the backseat.   
  
The drive passed in a haze. Castiel could almost swear that he hadn't been driving for long enough for the roads to become familiar, but here he was. Once he started recognising scenery it was enough to switch to autopilot and navigate the long stretches by muscle memory alone. It didn't take him long to start berating himself, after all, he only had to wait four days, the fact that he was already pining for Dean was pretty pathetic, especially as they hardly knew each other. But the critical voice that was also so quick to bring Castiel down didn't seem as loud as it usually did, and when it tried to go down the 'Dean doesn't really care about you' route, Castiel remembered how tightly Dean had held him not just before he left but the night before in his bed. The voice had managed to convince Castiel of many things in the past, yet somehow it wasn't surprising that even the loudest of inner saboteurs found themselves powerless and useless in the face of Dean Winchester.   
  
It felt strange being back in the flat. It felt like it belonged to a stranger, though Castiel reasoned that was because he hadn't actually been back in it for over two weeks. There was a pile of mail waiting for him, though depressingly, nothing for him by name, just circulars, and leaflets for burger discounts. Castiel slipped them into a drawer, he'd keep them for when Dean came.   
  
Even Jack didn't seem to want to settle, though maybe that was just the long car journey. It was easy enough to settle into their usual routine though, but it all seemed to be hollow somehow. He knew he was being ridiculous and yet Castiel couldn't quite stop it. The flat had never been home, so much as it had been the place where he happened to live, but now, without Dean, it seemed particularly unwelcome.   
  
After Jack had gone down, Castiel wasn't sure what there was to do with himself. It seemed like a lot of effort to go to cook for himself so he just poured a kettle of hot water into a ramen cup and tried not to wrinkle his nose too hard at it. What had he done before the trip? What did he do when he was on his own? He couldn't remember. In the end, he settled in front of the TV, trying not to think about the empty space beside him. He put on Dr. Sexy M.D. and sent Dean a text to tell him they'd gotten home safely and he was about to continue with their binging.   
  
Dean replied and between them they sent forty-eight messages, discussing the finer points of Castiel's episode. Friday couldn't come soon enough.   


* * *

The advantage of writing was that Castiel didn't have to attend a workplace to do it. Occasionally he would swing by the newsroom for meetings, sometimes the editor would call him in to discuss the column, but mostly they corresponded through email and Castiel worked from home if he had Jack, or a coffee shop when he didn't. Three times a week he would drop Jack off at a childminder a few blocks away to give himself a break. It was almost depressing to have to leave the baby in childcare so he could do the dishes, but it meant he could get his work done even when Jack was in his most trying of moods.   
  
When Friday came, Castiel arrived so early to the childminder he had to sit in the car for a while before he could even pretend that traffic had been light. He had the whole day planned out and it mostly involved stress cleaning because today was the day Dean was coming. Dean was coming to stay for two whole nights and Castiel wanted the place to be spotless, even though he knew Dean wouldn't care if he exploded a bomb there just before he arrived. Their text conversations had continued beyond watching Dr. Sexy together, albeit in different states and not even Castiel's inner critic had managed to put a dampener on Dean's obvious excitement at seeing him again.   
  
Unsurprisingly, Castiel was the first one to arrive, waiting to appear a respectable ten minutes early, knowing that Rebecca wouldn't mind. "Hey Jack!" she cried, happily, having not seen him for a while and Jack went easily and smiling into her arms.   
  
"Thanks, Rebecca," Castiel smiled, "sorry I'm early."  
  
"No problem, big day?"  
  
Castiel hesitated, "what makes you say that?"  
  
"Nothing," she said, grinning, "you're just practically bouncing on the spot."   
  
"I uh...I have a date," Castiel flushed, warmed by her obvious pleasure in the revelation.   
  
"That's great! Well don't stick around here, go, you've got at least what...nine hours to get ready?" she laughed.   
  
Castiel practically fell over himself getting back to the car, he had four hours which was more than enough time for him to clean his place three times over even if he wasn't planning to do a grocery run to stock up on beer. But, he couldn't help almost speeding back to the flat just in case time stopped moving at its usual speed.   
  
He'd cleaned the sitting room to the point that it was no longer recognisable as the home of a single father, it looked like something out of a television showroom, but he hadn't started on the rest of the place nor had he even thought about groceries when his phone rang out, interrupting the playlist he'd chosen to accompany his cleaning; based on Dean's musical taste of course.   
  
When he saw Rebecca's name flash up on the screen he didn't worry. This wouldn't be the first or last time she called him to clarify something about Jack's day, but he heard her sharp intake of breath when he answered and his heart sank within him.   
  
"Mr. Novak? I think you need to come pick Jack up," she said, obviously struggling to keep her voice steady.   
  
"Is everything alright? Is Jack alright?" Castiel barked, already moving through the hallway to find his coat.   
  
He could hear her trying not to let her voice break, "after you dropped him off...I started getting calls asking if he was here. I thought it was a prank but," she took a deep breath, "Mr. Novak, a man was just here saying that you wanted him to bring Jack home early when I said no he..." she stuttered, her voice finally breaking, "he offered me money and-"  
  
"I'm on my way, Rebecca, it's ok," Castiel replied, his blood turning to ice in his veins.

Before he had even arrived he knew it was Lucifer or someone on his payroll at least. He pulled up as close to Rebecca's door as he possibly could, instantly clocking the black SUV parked at the end of the street, a world away from any of the regular cars seen there.   
  
He practically hammered the door down and was both gratified and terrified when it opened a crack, but not fully, the chain wouldn't allow it. Rebecca looked past Castiel, as though she were afraid to see he had come with company before she released the chain and let him in.   
  
"I'm so sorry," she spluttered, "I didn't know what to do. When I said no he got angry, said he was only here for Jack and...I was going to call the police but he said it wouldn't help and-"  
  
"It's ok," Castiel said, kindly, as though his heart wasn't pounding fast enough to induce cardiac arrest. "I'm so sorry this has happened, I'll take Jack now, but please if they come back call the police."  
  
She nodded, but didn't move and had to visibly remind herself to go and fetch Jack from the playroom. Castiel took him into his arms, holding him fiercely close, "will you be ok?" he asked.   
  
"I think so, I haven't got any other kids today so..." she trailed off and with a weak smile said, "maybe I'll just go out a while."   
  
She walked Castiel back to the door, and without needing to say anything both of them checked through the window before she went to let him out. Castiel had never strapped Jack into the car seat so quickly, and Rebecca remained beside him, tense as though she expected the man to reappear without notice.   
  
"I'm sorry," Castiel said again, because really, what else could he say? He hadn't thought to brief her that Jack's biological father was a psychopath with too much money and a disregard for his own son's wellbeing. Rebecca nodded, but she didn't say anything and somehow Castiel knew that by the time he got to the end of the street his upfront payments would be refunded and he'd lost Jack's daycare.   
  
It didn't surprise him at all to see the SUV pull off after him, nor was he particularly surprised to see an identical car parked opposite his apartment block. Strangely, even though he could practically feel the anxiety as a palpable lump within him, he found his mind was quite clear. Without hesitation, Castiel continued driving and headed to a mall, surprising himself at how calculating his mind could be.   
  
At the mall he lost himself in the crowd, taking the time to double back several times to see if he recognised any faces. Lucifer himself wouldn't be stupid enough to come here but he always used the same goons, and they always dressed in the same stupid, black suits that he'd be able to pick up on a mile away. He didn't stop walking for over an hour, ending up huddled in a corner of a busy McDonald's. He had a view of the door, though unless Lucifer had taken to hiring teenagers he was safe. Now he just had to decide what to do next.   
  
He could call the police. He could barricade himself inside the flat. He could drive to his brother's house, Gabriel wasn't always the most supportive of siblings, but he knew what a bag of dicks Lucifer could be. Hell, he could drive to the police station himself. He could call Kelly's lawyer, they'd always known something like this might or probably would happen. But even while he was running through his list of options, his hand seemed to move with a will of its own to his phone and before he grasped what he was doing he was making a call.   
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Dean," Castiel breathed, and suddenly everything caught up with him. He was hiding, in a McDonald's because his brother had tried to kidnap Jack. He wasn't sure when his life had become a B-list spy movie, but here he was. But Dean was on the other end of the phone and it was enough to assure him that everything would be ok.   
  
"Cas?"   
  
Cas.   
  
No one had ever called him anything but Castiel before. Just hearing Dean say the name was enough to set Castiel's, Cas', hair on end. He liked it.   
  
"Cas?" Dean said, again when Castiel didn't reply, "Cas, what's wrong?"   
  
"You said to call you if I broke down-" and then, God forgive him he started crying. Castiel, a grown man, was crying in McDonald's.   
  
"Where are you?"   
  
He couldn't get his words out, what if he lost Jack?  
  
"Cas, you're going to be ok, man, you just need to tell me where you are."  
  
He managed to splutter out a vague address, though as he did so he wondered what the point was, Dean was three hundred miles away, he probably hadn't even left yet.   
  
"Stay there. Don't move, y'hear," Dean said, in a tone, Castiel didn't recognise, but seemed to reassure him. "If you need to move, you call me."  
  
"Dean-"  
  
" _Stay. There_."  
  
The call cut off and Castiel felt more alone than he had before, even though he was surrounded by people. Jack was still wrapped to his chest, he'd fallen asleep during the long walks around the mall, but right now it didn't seem close enough. Letting his head fall forward, Castiel rested his face gently on top of Jack's head, inhaling the comforting smell of baby powder and slightly off formula that he hadn't cleaned away properly. He could do this. He had Jack. No one was taking Jack away from him.   


* * *

Dean Winchester arrived exactly thirty-three minutes after he had cut off Cas' call. He hadn't known what the problem was, but he knew Cas was upset, more than upset, Cas was crying in a fast food joint and he didn't seem like the kind of person to a) cry or b) frequent fast food joints. Something was wrong, very wrong and Dean looked like an avenging angel pushing past the slew of people during the rush hour.   
  
He spotted Cas, hiding, because he was definitely hiding, at a table in the corner. A packet of fries had long gone cold in front of him, he'd only gotten them for appearance's sake and his face was buried in Jack.   
  
"Cas?" Dean said, dropping down beside him, "Cas, you ok?"  
  
"Dean?" Cas breathed, looking as though he couldn't quite believe that Dean was here, actually here. "Dean, what are you doing here?"  
  
"Are you ok?" he asked again, checking him over, but he didn't seem to be hurt.   
  
Castiel nodded, but he didn't smile. "Dean...Lucifer he...he tried to take Jack." This time he managed to keep his voice steady, it was easier with Dean's hand on his arm. At that moment Castiel almost wished Lucifer had caught up with them, Dean looked as though he would tear him limb from limb, public place be damned. His grip on Castiel's arm was so tight it would have been painful if Castiel wasn't finding it weirdly grounding.  
  
"Let's go," he said, helping Cas up. "C'mon."  
  
"Where are we going?"   
  
"I'm taking you home," Dean muttered, picking up the remains of the fries because hey they had a fair journey ahead of them.   
  
"No, I can't go home, they're outside my apartment, Dean, if they see me-"  
  
"You're coming home with me, Cas," Dean said, cutting him off, placing his hand at the small of Cas' back to steer him out of the crowds, "we're going home."   


* * *

Even in the safety of the Impala, with Dean beside him, it took Castiel a long time to calm down. Dean hadn't said anything and for that Castiel was grateful, he needed some time to martial his thoughts, even as his eyes flicked between the mirrors, scanning the traffic for a black SUV. At first, he thought Dean was annoyed at him, but Castiel knew better. They'd gotten to the Impala and Dean had reached to take Jack, in hindsight it was clear all he'd intended to do was strap him into the car seat he'd set up in Baby, but Castiel had freaked, wrapping his arms protectively around Jack and taking half a step back. Dean had held his hands up defensively and backed off. He let Castiel negotiate the car seat himself, giving him instructions from the driver's seat, and he had the foresight to get out of the car so he wasn't alone with Jack while Castiel slipped around to the passenger's side.   
  
They drove in silence, Dean didn't move to put the music on, and he didn't attempt conversation. He was happy to be led by Castiel and Castiel appreciated the sentiment. His mind was reeling, his heart still pounding even though he knew they were safe. Jack was here with him, everything would be fine, but he still had to keep checking the backseat as though he feared the boy would be spirited away somehow.   
  
"Hey," Dean said, softly, noticing Castiel check the car seat for easily the millionth time since they had pulled out of the mall car park. "It's ok, you're ok." Castiel nodded, trying to breathe deeply and calm himself. Dean reached over and took his hand, briefly, just long enough to give it a reassuring squeeze. "You're ok, Cas."   
  
"How did you find me so quickly?" Castiel asked, as though the thought had just struck him, "I wasn't expecting you to have left for a few hours yet."   
  
Adorably, Dean blushed and he mumbled, "I uh...I couldn't wait so I drove down first thing." He glanced over at Castiel, embarrassed, as though he feared Castiel would freak out, but he only grinned back.   
  
"I couldn't wait either," he whispered.   
  
Dean's smile could have powered the National Grid.   



	6. Chapter 6

It was dark by the time they finally pulled up outside Dean's place. They'd considered finding a motel, but Castiel had seemed terrified of the idea, as though Lucifer would be waiting wherever they chose, even though there was no indication they had been followed. They stopped a couple of times to change Jack and feed him as well as themselves, but still Castiel wouldn't let him out of his arms, however much the boy wanted to be put down or go to Dean. Dean let him wrestle with Jack and didn't once move to intervene, even when Jack held his arms out and started crying. But Castiel wouldn't be moved and he kept a tight grip on him, not even putting him in a high chair as they picked their way through a roadside diner's offerings.   
  
"You guys get comfy," Dean said, "I'll go set up the crib, you wanna sleep next to him tonight?" Castiel nodded, then immediately bit his lip but Dean was already waving away his apprehension, "it's fine, Cas. Really, whatever you need."   
  
Jack stared at Castiel with open annoyance. Castiel held him up to his shoulder and paced the floor with him, "I'm sorry, buddy, I was just so scared someone was going to take you away." He held on a little tighter, trying not to hold him too tight, he was in danger of hurting the kid.   
  
"Da," Jack babbled near his ear, poking Castiel in the cheek. "Da-da."  
  
"That's right," Castiel whispered, uncomfortable despite himself, "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. You're my boy, right?"  
  
"Dada," Jack said, filled with certainty given that he probably didn't quite know what he was saying. Castiel didn't mind. He let the boy fidget against his shoulder, knowing that Jack would probably go to sleep as soon as he was put down tonight, anything if it got him out of Castiel's arms.   
  
He saw Dean leaning in the doorway, looking at them both with such fondness Castiel couldn’t look back at him without blushing. “The crib’s ready, whenever you wanna put him down,” Dean said, softly. Then as an afterthought, added, “you know you’re safe here, right?” He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around the two of them, “I won’t let anything happen to you.”  
  
Castiel let his forehead rest on Dean’s shoulder, he wasn’t going to cry, not again. “Thank you, Dean,” he managed to choke out, “if you hadn’t-” he broke off, there was no point going through all the equally awful ‘what if’ scenarios, so he just took another shuddering breath and let Dean guide them upstairs. This time when Jack reached for Dean, Castiel let him go, even though Dean hesitated and almost asked permission with a glance before he took the boy.   
  
“Come on, baby,” Dean whispered to Jack, “let’s get you to your room.”  
  
Castiel’s heart felt like it might explode.  
  
_Your room._   


* * *

  
Jack was thrilled to have gotten out of Castiel’s seemingly iron grip and into Dean’s far more playful bounces. Dean didn’t mind getting him ready for bed, Jack certainly didn’t mind and Castiel watched from the landing. Dean checked and double checked everything with Castiel before he did anything, but by now Castiel was feeling calmer. Jack was safe with Dean, they were both safe with Dean. In fact, Castiel was a little jealous, watching Dean rock Jack in his arms, not fully to sleep but just enough that the kid was dozing off before he was laying down.   
  
Dean stepped out into the hallway, pulling the door behind him but not closing it, leaving it open enough that they would hear anything Jack needed them to.  
  
They both stood on the landing for a while longer, Castiel was achingly aware that this was the first moment he’d had without Jack since he’d picked him up from daycare. He fished around for something to say, but he couldn't find anything, everything was still too much, too raw. He could have lost Jack today, he could have actually lost Jack- Castiel drew a ragged breath, forcing down the well of emotion that threatened to burst within him, he'd cried enough.

No more.

Dean knew, of course, Dean knew, and in the time it took Castiel to draw in a second breath, Dean had stepped forward and wrapped his arms around him. Castiel practically fell forward against the other man, clinging to him as though he were a port in the storm. Dean was tall, strong and right now he felt like the only stable thing in Castiel's life, even though the small voice that Lucifer had sown since they were kids told him that he wouldn't be so lucky.   
  
But for now, Dean was holding him, literally holding him as Castiel's legs had turned to jelly, as the sheer trauma of the day took everything out of him now that he and Jack were safe. Beside his ear Dean was whispering endearments, soothing him, telling him everything would be ok. And Castiel clung to him, desperately wanting to believe him.   
  
In a motion as natural as the sun rising or the tides turning, their lips came together. Neither of them had moved to initiate it, it just happened as surely as night would fall; Dean pressed Castiel gently against the wall for support as the two of them allowed their lips to move over each other's - Dean kissing him with all the assurances he had whispered and Castiel leaning into it, hungrily accepting the sentiment, shamelessly begging for more.   
  
Dean's hands were under Castiel's shirt, his fingers tracing across his hip bones causing a shudder to run through both of them. They could have stayed there all day, pressed against the wall, exploring every nuance of the other's kiss, but then Castiel allowed his lips to part and with a needy moan, Dean allowed his tongue to trace the contours of Castiel's mouth and they were lost.   
  
They did not part as they stumbled across the landing, practically falling into Dean's room. Dean's hands were firm on Castiel's hips as he walked him backward, towards the bed, still refusing to relinquish his lips. Castiel felt the bed bump into his shins and then he was falling backward onto softness, but Dean hadn't fallen with him.   
  
Castiel lay on the edge of the bed, looking up at Dean who was trying very hard to keep his composure at the sight of Cas, lips full and flushed, eyes half-lidded staring up at him from the welcoming softness of Dean's bed. In the moment of pause between them the usual doubts assaulted Castiel, what were they doing? Dean deserved so much more than Castiel. He was going to realise it right now and tell Castiel this was a mistake.   
  
Dean saw with a frown all the doubts pass over Castiel and he leaned down, trailing kisses from the man's neck up to his ear, "hey," he whispered, catching the ear lobe gently between his teeth, "you're perfect." He rested his forehead against Castiel's shoulder, composing himself for a moment, "let me show you how perfect you are." Warmth exploded in every fiber of Castiel's being as his eyes rolled back into his head, a soft moan escaping him as Dean kissed his way back down his neck, unbuttoning his shirt as he went.   
  
With Castiel's shirt open, leaving his bare chest exposed, Dean paused again, looking down on him, but his eyes were so tender there were no doubts to assail Castiel this time. "You're so beautiful," Dean murmured, leaning down to kiss the tattoo near Castiel's hips, "I'm going to take such good care of you."   
  
Dean kissed every part of Castiel's torso, biting gently down on hips so sharp they might break him. Slowly, agonisingly slowly, Dean pulled Castiel's pants off, before peeling away his boxer shorts, allowing him to spring free and giving Dean something else to kiss.   
  
Castiel had never known himself to be a particularly vocal lover, but with Dean running his tongue in stripes up and down his cock, which had surely never been so hard, he found it hard to stop. Dean kissed his way up the length of it, alternating between feathery light touches and swirling licks, pausing only to berate Castiel when he tried to stifle a groan, "I want to hear you, angel," Dean whispered, "don't hold anything back." So he didn't and when Dean closed his mouth around Castiel, taking him deep, impossibly deep, Castiel let out a yell that would give a porn star a run for their money.   
  
His hands found their way into Dean's hair and he curled his fingers against Dean's scalp, trying to maintain enough composure to not just push Dean down harshly. But he needn't have worried, Dean practically swallowed him, his head bobbing in an impossibly steady rhythm as his own hands came to rest on Cas' hips, holding him steady.   
  
" _Dean, Dean, Dean_ ," Cas' groans were like a litany as Dean sucked his way down, wondering how he could have been so lucky to have something as perfect as this moment. He could feel and hear Cas' end approach, his breath was ragged, his hips were jerking into Dean's mouth unsteadily and so Dean let his tongue tease Cas' slit, waiting to hear him cry out before he pulled away suddenly, leaving Cas to look down at him wide-eyed and desperate. "Ssh," Dean soothed, leaving small kisses along Cas' thighs, "I said I'd take care of you."   
  
He kissed Cas everywhere except where Cas wanted him to kiss. By now Dean's hand had snaked into his own pants, lazily stroking himself as he worked his way back to Cas' aching cock, waiting for Cas' breathing to return to almost normal before he swallowed him again.   
  
Twice more he brought Cas to the very edge of pleasure. Beneath him Cas was almost delirious, arching his back towards Dean, begging and mewling. Dean's own hand had never moved so fast in his life. He plunged himself down onto Cas, trying so hard not to come just from the ragged yell that escaped the other man's mouth.   
  
"Dean, Dean, _oh fuck, Dean_."   
  
Cas shouldn't be allowed to curse, it sent a frisson of heat right to where Dean needed it and he himself groaned as he took him to the very back of his throat again, allowing Cas to pull his hair and use his mouth to find his release.   
  
"I'm close," Cas gasped out, not for the first time, but Dean had no intention of leaving him hanging, not again. He kept up his rhythm, hollowing his cheeks and letting Cas buck wildly into his mouth. "I'm gonna-" Cas choked out, moving to pull Dean away, but instead Dean just licked again, spilling over his own hand as Cas screamed his release into Dean's throat.   
  
They were both still in the aftermath. Dean was still kneeling between Castiel's legs, both of them paused, instinctively listening to see if they had disturbed the sleeping baby. When all was silent, they relaxed and Dean pulled himself onto the bed, lying beside Cas, pulling him onto his chest, showering his face with kisses.   
  
"That was- that was..." Cas was gasping out, but Dean just smiled.  
  
"That was everything, Cas," he said, softly, "I'm gonna take care of you," then he added, unable to stop the plea, "please let me take care of you."   
  
Castiel closed his eyes and buried his face into Dean's shoulder, as though he could disguise the sudden wetness that had burned there. Dean was still rubbing gentle circles onto his skin, still kissing whatever parts of him he could reach and Castiel could only grip him tighter and whisper, "don't leave me."   


* * *

Dean didn't leave him and Castiel didn’t leave Dean’s bed after all.   
  
They fell asleep like that, wrapped in each other's arms. Jack finally, _finally_ slept through the night, which is more than what Castiel did. At one point he woke up to find Dean kissing his way across Castiel’s jawline, he groaned into it and that was all the encouragement Dean needed.   
  
The pre-dawn light was just about starting to seep through the curtains when Castiel woke for the second time. Dean was beside him, one arm splayed across Castiel’s chest, protectively. He looked so peaceful in sleep, Castiel thought as he allowed his fingers to trace lazy patterns across the arm. Dean didn’t stir, and Castiel could only stare at him, wondering how it was he could end up here, like this, lying in the arms of the most beautiful soul he had ever met? Even more unbelievably, how could this person care so much about him in return? As though he could feel Castiel’s gaze upon him, Dean’s eyes fluttered open and there was no disguising the joy in his face as he realised Castiel was still with him.   
  
“Good morning, beautiful,” Dean whispered, leaning in to kiss him with far more tenderness than they had the night before.   
  
“Good morning,” Castiel said, smiling when Dean groaned against his mouth.   
  
“I swear, your voice is even sexier first thing,” Dean murmured, trailing his lips over Castiel’s cheek, ear, neck, wherever he could reach.   
  
“You’re not too bad yourself.”   
  
Dean shifted so that Castiel could lie on his chest, “comfy?” he asked, and Castiel felt so safe, so utterly content, the words slipped out before he could stop them.  
  
“I want to wake up like this forever.”   
  
As soon as he’d spoken Castiel froze and when Dean let out a sigh he thought he might stop breathing altogether. They’d known each other a week, what the hell was he thinking? There was no way Dean would-  
  
“I love you,” Dean murmured, leaning down to kiss him, “I wanted you to stay with me. But, I thought I couldn’t ask you to give up your life to just hang out with a guy you only met because your roadside assistance is shit.” Castiel was struggling to find his breath, there was no way this was real, there was no way this could be real. “But I spent all week wishing the time away until I’d see you again,” Dean said, cupping Castiel’s face, “I never want to spend a moment apart from you again.”  
  
“I probably would have gone back with you this weekend,” Castiel said, pushing himself up on one arm so he could kiss Dean, “I already looked up giving notice on the apartment. Are we crazy?”  
  
“Crazy in love,” but as soon as Dean said it, Castiel rolled off him, laughing.   
  
“Oh no, that’s it, I want a divorce, that was too bad.”   
  
Dean followed him, pinning him down at the shoulders and leaning in to devour his lips. The noises Castiel made were positively sinful and it took no time at all for the kiss to turn heated. Which of course was the time Jack woke up, even grouchier than normal given that he’d slept through all his nighttime feeds.   
  
“Cockblocker,” Dean mumbled, letting Castiel go, reluctantly, but he followed him out anyway if only to start breakfast.   
  
Dean had barely started firing up the cooker when he heard the front door go and a panicked Charlie call, “Dean? Dean, are you here?!”   
  
“Kitchen,” Dean called and in an instant Charlie was with him, looking at him as though the world had ended.   
  
“Adam forgot his truck and we saw the car and...did it not work out? What happened? You were so excited, what are you doing back here? Did he stand you up?” Charlie was furious now, “you didn’t drive all the way down there to get stood up, did you? I thought he was _the one_ if he-”  
  
Dean had unsuccessfully tried to interject several times before the sound of Castiel’s rumbling voice answering Adam’s childish one distracted her. She spun around on the spot, to see Castiel carrying Jack, talking cheerily to Adam, “oh hello. Charlie, right?” Castiel said, “we met before, I think...”  
  
Charlie looked between Castiel and Dean who was giving her the most shit-eating grin she thought she’d ever seen. “Uh...right, sorry...what are you doing here? I thought Dean was-”  
  
Dean moved past her to wrap his arm around Castiel’s waist, “I did...and then Cas came back with me. Gonna have to get used to him,” he said, meaningfully.   
  
Charlie’s eyes passed between the two and for a moment Castiel wondered if they had broken her. But then she let out an ear-splitting shriek of delight, throwing herself at them and pulling them both into her arms, Jack included.   
  
“And me!” they heard Adam shout, indignant at having been left out and he wrapped himself around one of Dean’s legs in response.   
  
“You guys!” Charlie squealed, “tell me everything!”   
  
Dean and Castiel managed to disentangle themselves from Charlie’s arms and to Castiel’s surprise she took Jack with her. Not twenty-four hours ago he would have freaked again, but Dean’s arm was still around his waist and Adam was following her to the sofa to sit beside them, so he knew it was ok. “She’s gonna have to get used to him too,” Dean whispered, reading Castiel’s thoughts and silencing them with a mischevious nibble at his ear.   
  
“Guys!” Charlie called, before they could get too distracted, “I need details.”   
  
Dean rolled his eyes and laughing, he rather ominously began with, “so Cas’ douchebag brother tried to kidnap Jack...”

 


	7. Chapter 7

It should have been far more daunting than it was. Giving up a life to live with Dean, and yet Castiel had never felt surer of anything. Not too long ago he would have been too anxious to try anything like this, but with Dean beside him, he could do anything. He gave notice on the apartment and Dean made a trip for him to pick up essentials. Castiel gave him a list if it could even be called that seeing as it consisted of a single item, a red folder he kept in a drawer that contained all the court paperwork relating to Jack and a few other important bits. It occurred to Dean as he put the folder, carefully, in his duffle bag that this was the first and would be the only time he'd see Castiel's place. He'd looked around, grabbing a few toys and clothes for Jack, even though Castiel had said not to bother given that Dean still had all of Adam's old things which would see Jack through the next five years easily. Dean didn't bother looking for Castiel's clothes, he'd already decided Cas looked good, _really good_ , in faded flannels and old denim, Dean didn't want to see him in anything else again.   
  
There was a black SUV parked outside the block, as Castiel had feared, but the driver didn't spare Dean a second glance. He sent off a text Castiel to let him know he was starting back and that he was only gonna make the one stop, but he'd probably swing by Sheriff Mills' on his way past. He didn't say why, there was no need to worry Cas, besides he just wanted to make sure that if a black SUV came anywhere near Sioux Falls, Dean would be the first to hear of it. He didn't tell Cas about the call he was going to make either, but that was more for Dean's peace of mind than anything else.   
  
He ended up telling Cas anyway. They were still figuring things out, so he wasn't entirely sure how he'd take it.   
  
"I had Sammy look over Jack's paperwork," Dean said, bluntly, unsure how to lead up to it, "just to check it y'know. He says it's watertight, I know you probably knew that already, but I thought...I just wanted..."  
  
But Cas had covered his hand with his own and smiled, "I know and thank you. Actually, I had a call of my own to make if you wanted to stick around..."  
  
Dean pulled him closer, "whatever you need, angel."   
  
In a relatively short space of time, Dean had seen many of Castiel's faces. When they'd met he'd been a panicked wreck, he'd seen him nervous and hesitant making his way around Dean's home, then there'd been the easy flirting and the suggestive looks, the fear at almost losing Jack and of course there had been the joy they had found in each other since. He had never seen resolute Castiel. _Don't fuck with me_ Castiel. It was all kinds of terrifying, and several kinds of hot.   
  
"Hello Lucifer," Cas said, quietly but full of fury, "let's talk about Jack."   
  
Dean remembered how not that long ago, he had walked in on Cas talking to Lucifer and had had to save him from the call. How he'd kissed him and told him he didn't need to take his brother's crap. Seeing him now, with his commanding tone and eyes flashing with a rage so bright they looked like they might have been glowing, Cas had obviously taken it all to heart.   
  
"No," Cas growled, cutting off whatever Lucifer had been saying, "this is the last time I will speak to you about this or any other matter. You are not Jack's father, you have no claim to him and if you try to take him again there is not enough money in the world that will protect you from the hell I will bring upon you. Goodbye Lucifer, pray you never see me or _my son_ again."  
  
Cas cut the call off and slipped the phone easily into his pocket. Dean had thought he might need to comfort him or something, but instead, Dean couldn't bring himself to move, standing almost dumbstruck at the change that had come over his boyfriend. "What?" Cas laughed, a world away from the person he had been just a moment ago.   
  
"What the hell was that?"   
  
Cas gave a small shrug, "being with you made me realise you were right. I don't need to take his crap anymore. I won't."  
  
Dean stepped forward and captured Cas' lips in a kiss so forceful it might have left bruises. But Cas didn't mind, in fact, he reciprocated, nipping Dean's lower lip which forced them apart before they compromised themselves even further. Adam was in just the next room after all.   
  
"Does that mean you'd be up for letting Charlie take Jack for a night?" Dean murmured next to Cas' ear, hardly needing to press against him to make his suggestion clear.   
  
In response, Cas rested his head on Dean's shoulder and smiled, softly, "let me work up to it, ok?"  
  
"Sure," Dean said, planting a comparatively chaste kiss on Cas' lips. Some time suited him anyway, he had some things to take care of first. 

* * *

It didn't take long for Castiel to ease up regarding Jack, made easier by the fact that Dean didn't rush him, not even a little bit. Dean didn't complain, even though he had more than enough reasons to. He'd already gone through the baby phase with Adam and now Castiel had brought another to him, and with it the interrupted nights, the crying in lieu of communicating, having to watch him _all the time_ , not able to leave him for more than a few moments. Castiel wondered why Dean put up with it all, but really he knew that Dean didn't see it that way. Dean doted on Jack, as much as Castiel would allow him, which admittedly wasn't much in those first few days after the incident at daycare. But after Castiel's _conversation_ , if it could be called that, with his brother, he was a little softer when it came to letting Jack out of his sight. And Dean clearly revelled in the role Castiel felt he had forced upon him. Adam loved the baby too and probably spent more time with him than either Dean or Castiel.   
  
Things had moved quickly, seeing as Castiel and Dean were now officially living together as partners, yet in other ways, they were taking it slow. Though Castiel would have sworn that that was because they were both too tired chasing after two kids and not getting enough sleep even when they were in bed. So when Charlie offered to have both boys over for a night, Castiel only hesitated for a moment before he enthusiastically agreed. Too enthusiastically, in hindsight, Charlie hadn't stopped teasing him about it.   
  
They agreed that Castiel would drop the boys off, given that he hadn't actually seen Charlie's house yet, but given that it was just a short walk from Dean's it wasn't as though the distance was a problem. Charlie showed him around the place patiently, more than understanding that Castiel was nervous at being parted from Jack even for just a little bit. He cuddled Jack a little bit longer than he usually did, but once the baby was babbling in Charlie's arms he felt like a weight was lifted. This would be fine. Everything was fine.   
  
It was on his way heading back to Dean's house, their house when Castiel realised he hadn't put any thought into what they would actually do tonight. Well, they both knew what was going to happen eventually, but before that at least, Castiel started to feel a little guilty that he hadn't sat down with Dean and actually talked about what they could do. They could have gone out, maybe Dean would be annoyed that they hadn't made plans, but Castiel had started to recognise these thoughts more and more as a result of his own insecurities and really, he knew Dean would just be happy to spend time with him. A sentiment that was hammered home the moment Castiel opened the door and stepped over the threshold. 

* * *

Granted, the walk to Charlie's house had taken slightly longer than the walk back given that Adam had gotten distracted by simply everything en route. It was somewhat impressive given that the path between the two was little more than a dirt track. All in all, he couldn't have been gone more than half an hour, and yet Dean had wrought a transformation in that time. Castiel stepped into the house to the smell of...well...he wasn't sure but it was mouth watering.   
  
A dining table had appeared in the centre of the lounge, a proper dining table complete with a table cloth and candles. Somewhere, an acoustic guitar was playing, and Castiel simply stood, enraptured.   
  
"Happy anniversary," Dean called, which made him frown. "It's been exactly one month since the storm," Dean blushed, "thought it'd give us an excuse to celebrate."  
  
"Celebrate what?"  
  
"Us," Dean shrugged, "how awesome you are, how ridiculous all this is," he crossed the room and left a quick kiss on Castiel's forehead, "how much I love you."   
  
"You're such a sap," Castiel laughed, pushing Dean away, but Dean just ducked and stole another kiss.   
  
"You bet."   


* * *

Burgers. Castiel had smelled burgers, though the term seemed to be an understatement to describe the work of art Dean had created in the kitchen. Without intending to, Castiel took the first bite and groaned, loudly.   
  
"Save it for the bedroom, sweetheart," Dean winked from the other end of the table.   
  
"These are so good," Castiel moaned, taking a second bite even though his mouth was already full.   
  
Even though Dean had played it off, Castiel could see the warm flush rise in Dean's cheek, it did every time Castiel complemented his cooking skills, which were amazing, so it happened a lot. "Yeah, well, you're gonna need your energy for what I've got planned, so eat up."   
  
Now Castiel flushed, catching Dean's eye and suddenly finding that he didn't want to eat. "Can't we skip to dessert?" he asked, innocently.  
  
Dean rolled his eyes but said, "sure, if you wanna give up on the burgers."  
  
"Nope, I'm good," Castiel grinned, digging into the rest of the burger with gusto.   


* * *

  
The burgers were finished, the tealights had burned down to dim embers and Castiel and Dean were still deep in discussion about the latest Dr. Sexy M.D. Castiel now having thoroughly caught up, because hey, he needed to watch something on the nights Jack just point blank refused to sleep.   
  
The conversation came to a natural lull, and for a moment Castiel and Dean both flushed at the air of anticipation that fell over them. "I uh...I got you a couple of things," Dean said, scratching at his neck awkwardly, "you didn't have to get me anything," he added, hastily, when he saw Castiel's face fall, "it's just...I wanted to get you..." he trailed off and took a deep breath. It was almost enough to make Castiel worry, Dean didn't usually act like this. Dean got up and stepped over to Castiel, taking his hands in his own, "I know you worry that we did things too fast. I know you think that I'm going to wake up one day and kick you out or something because you're not good enough for me," Castiel opened his mouth to say something, but Dean cut across him, "I know you do, Cas, coz I do too. I don't know what you see in me, but whatever it is God I'm glad you do. I just wanted to show you that...even though it hasn't been very long, you're all I want, you're all I'll ever want and I'm not going anywhere."   
  
"Dean-"  
  
Dean reached into his pocket and brought out a ring. It was nothing fancy, just a simple band of silver, but Castiel felt like he'd had the breath knocked out of him.   
  
"I'm not asking you to marry me," Dean said, slipping the ring onto Castiel's ring finger, "not if you don't want to, but I want you to know that this is forever, that I'll love you forever and if you ever think you're not good enough you can look down and you'll see that you are."   
  
Castiel wasn't going to cry. Nope. Not right now. Not going to happen. Even as he felt his eyes burning and his throat dry out, he was not going to cry. He couldn't speak, he just stared at the ring, trying to breathe as though the world hadn't been turned upside down and everything was just carrying on. He stood up abruptly, almost knocking Dean down in the process. But he reached out, grasping at Dean's shirt front, partly to steady him, partly so he could pull him forward and show him just how much the gesture meant to him.   
  
Time lost all meaning as they stood there, locked at the lips, Dean's hand stroking through Castiel's hair as Castiel kept his grip on Dean's shirt, as though he might disappear if he let go. When they eventually parted, trying to regain their breath, "wait," Castiel muttered, "you said there was more?"   
  
It took Dean a moment to understand what Castiel meant, his brain had switched off some time during the kiss, but then it came to him and he became suddenly reticent. Even more so than before he had produced the ring.   
  
"Oh...oh yeah," he said, awkwardly. Dean stepped away and picked something up from a chest of drawers, "so...I picked this up and I wasn't sure if-" Castiel frowned. Dean had all but proposed, what could this be now that had him so nervous? Dean sighed and tried again, "I've been thinking about what you were saying about how you didn't know what you were doing with Jack or where you stood and I just thought that this might help. Especially after you told Lucifer that he was your son now because he is," he added, hastily, "I just thought these might help you cement that..."  
  
He handed the plain and unassuming envelope out to Castiel, who took it, almost hesitantly, wondering what could render Dean so tense. Then he pulled out a sheaf of papers and felt his knees go weak beneath him, he dropped back onto the chair.   
  
"I got Sam to help me with them, it's not his area of expertise but I mean he's at a law school so it's not like he doesn't know anyone who could help. And I just thought-"  
  
"Adoption papers?" Castiel croaked.   
  
"Uh...yeah...so you could, y'know...adopt Jack, Sam said it was just about the only thing you hadn't done but I guess what with his mother..." Dean trailed off, starting to think that maybe he'd made a big mistake and he should probably have opened with the papers so he could end with the ring, coz at least Cas had liked that part-  
  
Thoughts and words were cut off as Castiel positively launched himself at Dean. It was a good thing Dean had good upper body strength, he caught Castiel as he wrapped his legs around his waist and set to work devouring his lips.   
  
"I love you," Castiel whispered, desperately against his mouth, "I love you so fucking much."   
  
Dean would have said he loved him too, but Castiel didn't let him take a breath, and really that was alright.   


* * *

Somehow they made it upstairs to their bedroom, though neither of them was entirely sure how. Castiel hadn't relinquished his grip on Dean, and Dean was just rolling with it, carrying him up the stairs while they tasted each other even though the back of Dean's legs were starting to burn in protest.   
  
They barely made it through the door before Dean grunted and rather unceremoniously dropped Castiel.   
  
"Shit, Cas, sorry-" he breathed as Castiel hit the floor with a dull thud, but Castiel didn't seem to care. In fact, given that he was now at eye level with Dean's crotch he seemed to be much happier. In one, fluid movement he yanked every piece of fabric between him and Dean down far enough to let him loose. Dean's apology was cut off as Castiel took him into his mouth without preamble, and Dean's cock went from ' _I'm interested in where this is going_ ,' to ' _holy hell take me now, Cas_ ' in a matter of seconds as Castiel swallowed down around him, sucking Dean with abandon.   
  
Where Castiel was a vocal lover, Dean was quiet. At first, Castiel had thought that maybe he was doing something wrong, or maybe Dean just wasn't that into it, but then he'd discovered that Dean was quiet to cover just how into it he was. Castiel took great, great pleasure in coaxing small sighs and gasps out of Dean, knowing that every whisper that escaped his mouth was practically a screaming declaration of how wild he was going beneath him.   
  
Dean's hands snaked into Castiel's hair, but he held off on pulling or gripping too tightly, trying to keep it gentle instead. Castiel did not approve, and he used his teeth to graze Dean's length, gently, but with enough pressure to indicate that he didn't need to be treated with kid gloves. Thankfully, Dean took the hint, taking a fistful of Castiel's hair, bucking his hips against his mouth with a ragged, " _Cas, Jesus, Cas!_ " as Castiel moaned his approval.   
  
Castiel thought he could happily finish like this, Dean's cock thrusting deep into his mouth while Dean choked out his pleasure, incoherently trying to gasp Castiel's name. He was a beautiful, writhing mess, and if he didn't have the door to brace himself against he would have sunk to the floor a long time ago. He was close, Castiel knew, he recognised the change in Dean's breathing, the way he gave himself over to the sensations of Castiel's mouth, hot and wet and on him, breathing out, ' _Cas_ ,' as though it were a word too sacred to utter. So it was almost a surprise when Dean pulled back, suddenly, holding Castiel's shoulders till, not moving for a moment, trying to control his breathing.   
  
"Not yet, angel," Dean said, eventually, when he managed to get his voice back, "we've got all night and we're going to make the most of it."   
  
Castiel gave a moan of disapproval and he almost pouted out the word, "fine," as though it were a major inconvenience to him to spend the night making love to the most gorgeous man he'd ever met. He let Dean lift him up and their lips came together again, tongues too, as they licked into each other's mouths. They stepped towards the bed, perfectly in tune with each other, as they managed to slip hands under clothes and drop the offending articles to the floor without having to break the kiss.   
  
Dean lay down first and Castiel kissed his way from the very tip of Dean's toes, up his legs, carefully avoiding his cock, across his abdomen all the way back up to his lips, straddling him as he went. He showered Dean's chest in kisses, sucking a small bruise onto every one of Dean's freckles, but lightly, or tomorrow Dean would look like he'd gone ten rounds with a concrete block. “How do you want this?” Dean asked, leaning up on his elbows so he could look at Castiel, a move which was not entirely wise given how full his lips looked, flushed from so many kisses, not to mention the hair. It was sexy at the best of times, but when it stuck up at all ends, from having Dean’s hand gripping it, it was something else. Dean swallowed hard, trying to keep his control, which was waning in the face of this angel going to town on him.   
  
Castiel was occupied running circles across Dean’s abdomen with his tongue, when he looked up and said, clearly into the space between them, “I’m going to ride you into next Thursday.” Dean let out a ragged breath as his throat went bone dry. For a moment he couldn’t swallow, he couldn’t think, all he could see was Castiel. “Is that ok?” Castiel asked, grinding his hips down against Dean, but Dean was gone and he could only nod, keening back against the pillows to arch against his lover. “Thought it might be,” Castiel smiled, reaching over to the drawer where he knew Dean kept the lube.   
  
Reaching over to take it from Castiel’s hands, Dean was surprised when Castiel smacked his hand away. He lay an insistent hand on Dean’s chest, holding him firmly in place. “ _Ca-as_ ,” Dean protested, trying to push himself up, but Castiel wasn’t having it.   
  
“You’ve given me everything, Dean,” Castiel whispered, taking his hand back so he could spread some lube onto his fingers, “and I’m going to show you how much I appreciate it.”   
  
Dean groaned in protest, trying to angle himself so he could rub against Castiel’s thigh. Having him there, right there, between his legs but not touching him was killing him. He needed more, he needed Castiel – and then he saw Castiel trace a finger around to his own hole, blue eyes fluttered shut as he let out a small sigh of pleasure and Dean was well and truly lost. “ _Fuck, Cas_ ,” he groaned. He propped himself up and for a moment Castiel looked as though he’d stop him, but Dean didn’t want to touch him, he just wanted a better view, though his cock strained between them, tightening and leaking across his stomach as Castiel added a second finger, slowly rocking his hips back onto himself. By the time Castiel added his third finger, he’d locked his eyes with Dean’s and they seemed to be no longer blue, but black with desire. Looking into those lust blown depths while Castiel gasped and moaned against himself was easily the most erotic thing Dean had ever experienced, it was also torture and he managed to choke out, “Cas, please-”  
  
But Castiel couldn’t hold out either, and obligingly he started stroking Dean with deliberate precision and lube-slicked fingers. If Dean thought it had been torture before, he was proven quite wrong. He couldn’t remember ever wanting, ever needing someone so much, as he needed Castiel right then. There was no thought in his mind beyond the repeated, ‘ _Cas, Cas, Cas, Cas-_ ’ his entire focus had honed in on the hardest part of him, which Castiel was now positioning gently and it wasn’t enough, he needed more, he needed -  
  
“ _Cas_ ,” Dean breathed, as Castiel finally lowered himself onto him. Their eyes met and within their gaze darkened by their need for the other, there was a softness there, which made Dean want to weep. Castiel moved slowly, and Dean tried to keep still, even though all he wanted to do was thrust up into Castiel’s tightness. But he wouldn’t rush this, and it was worth it to see the ‘ _oh_ ’ of bliss frozen on Castiel’s lips.   
  
Time seemed to freeze as Castiel allowed himself to sink lower and lower until, with a satisfied sigh he paused, allowing Dean to fill him completely, seated entirely in Dean’s lap. Both of them held themselves rigidly, not wanting to be the first to start moving, knowing that if they did they’d lose themselves quickly, _too quickly_.   
  
An eternity passed, before Castiel finally opened his eyes, and leaning forward to kiss Dean with agonising tenderness, he started moving. Dean missed the kiss as he gasped, flinging his head back down on the pillow, his hands coming up to rest on Castiel’s hips, holding him there, falling easily into the rhythm Castiel was setting.   
  
“Cas, oh fuck Cas,” he breathed and Castiel was smiling into the darkness. So much for being the quiet one.   
  
“Dean,” Castiel groaned, his voice sounding deeper than Dean had ever heard, “touch me.”   
  
Dean didn’t need to be told twice, his hand reaching between them and wrapping around Castiel’s length. Castiel’s head tipped back and he let out a sound that could almost be described as animalistic as he swirled his hips faster, torn between into bucking forward into Dean’s grip and grinding down onto the cock in his ass. “I love you,” Castiel moaned, losing himself entirely in the motions, there was nothing except Dean. Dean inside him and Dean below him, and if he opened his eyes he could lose himself in those green depths, gazing back at him as though he were something too pure and precious to be touched by mortal hands.   
  
It wasn’t just the moment, it was the emotion behind it and Castiel could feel himself building, warmth pooling within him and he started bucking his hips faster, brokenly crying out Dean’s name. “Dean, I’m gonna-” and Dean pushed himself up, wrapping one arm around Castiel so they were chest to chest and he could devour Castiel’s scream as he came undone all over them. Castiel kept moving, even as he spilled onto their abdomens, but Dean wanted more. In one swift movement, he switched their positions, throwing Castiel down onto the bed and thrusting into him, hard and fast. He knew from Castiel’s sudden scream that he was hitting the right spot and in a perfect world he’d hold off his own release and bring Castiel to the edge again just from that, but he was too far gone; in so many ways and it didn’t take long before he was gasping Castiel’s name, stars exploding behind his eyes as he all but collapsed onto Castiel, rocking his way through easily the most mind-blowing orgasm of his life.   
  
It took time, a long time for the two of them to come to their senses. Dean became aware that he was lying, heavily on top of Castiel, but Castiel’s lips were moving, soothingly against his jaw, so he probably didn’t mind. Either way, Dean rolled off him with a groan, but Castiel didn’t want to lose contact, not even for a second, so rolled with him and between them they managed to position themselves comfortably on the bed, Castiel lying in Dean’s arms, his head resting on his chest, as Dean kissed the top of his head and whispered endearments.   
  
“That was amazing, Cas. That was so good.”

Castiel looked up at him, his eyes almost spacey and far away, “I love you, Dean,” was all he could think of to say.   
  
Dean kissed him, he never wanted to stop kissing him. “I love you too, Cas. Fuck, I love you so much.”   
  
Castiel wanted to cry, this was too much, this was everything he could ever have wanted. His throat felt thick with emotion and he struggled to swallow around it. Beside him, Dean’s grip around his shoulders tightened and he knew that Dean was burying his face in his hair to disguise the same feelings. Castiel brought a hand up to touch Dean’s face but as he did so, his eye was caught by the glint of the silver band on his finger. For a moment, he couldn’t remember how it had gotten there, but then it came back to him, Dean loved him, Dean wanted him forever.   
  
“Dean,” Castiel whispered, but there was something in his voice, an edge that gave Dean pause and he stilled against him.   
  
“Yeah, Cas?”  
  
“I think you made a mistake.” Dean was tense against him now, his breathing seemed to stop completely, but before he could speak, Castiel continued, “on the adoption papers. I think...I think if I’m going to adopt Jack, I’d like you to do it with me.”   
  
Dean couldn’t breathe, he just about managed to choke out, “ _Cas_ -” because what else could he say, as his throat constricted and his heart felt as though it might explode within him.   
  
“And after that, if you want, if it’s not too soon, we can get married.”   
  
Castiel didn’t let Dean answer, leaning up to kiss him instead. A long, lingering kiss that Dean returned, promising a lifetime of tenderness together and as the heat started to rise between them, something else too.   
  
“Fuck, I’m glad your car coverage is so shit,” Dean gasped, pushing Castiel down and moving to straddle him.   
  
Castiel laughed underneath him, hooking his legs around his waist, “yeah. Yeah me too.”   



End file.
